Control of ductile to brittle transition temperature in ferritic pressure vessel steel

Abstract

Controlled amounts of cold work are shown to cause a minimum in the ductile to brittle transition temperature (DBTT) in a ferritic steel at a critical level of ∼1·5. Mechanical property assessments show that the hardness values exhibit the same trend. A theory is advanced for explanation of these effects, based on work hardening and Cottrell–Bilby locking models. Consideration is given to an alternative Ashby–Embury model, but it is concluded that the former approach is most successful in predicting the observed DBTT shift behaviour. Although independent of fracture surface type, the degree of plastic deformation shows some dependency on the grain boundary character. This leads to the conclusion that the matrix yield strength is the primary factor in determining the DBTT in these steels. Discussion focuses on methods for exploiting the effect to give higher toughness steels utilising knowledge of how to control matrix hardening and cleavage fracture strength.